A C525 crew, during a self induced emergency, overshot their assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	544794
Time
Date	200204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sdz.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Citationjet, C525/C526
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : blocc-1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	544794
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

PNF pulled flight guidance circuit breaker to simulate loss of EFIS. This breaker also controls autoplt, altitude alerter, and pressurization controller. Clearance was to FL210. I overshot altitude by at least 1000 ft before catching mistake. PNF also failed to monitor instruments. PNF asked for lower altitude and we were cleared to the altitude at which we already were. There were no traffic conflicts and controller did not say anything. Contributing factors were: lack of planning or pre-brief on PNF's part. PF did not slow down and was distracted while trying to maintain speed during descent. In the future this crew will pre-brief simulated emergency. In this CE525, pilot in right seat should fly rest of leg, as this position has full instrumentation. Pilot in left seat would then monitor instruments and do communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C525 CREW, DURING A SELF INDUCED EMER, OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: PNF PULLED FLT GUIDANCE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO SIMULATE LOSS OF EFIS. THIS BREAKER ALSO CTLS AUTOPLT, ALT ALERTER, AND PRESSURIZATION CTLR. CLRNC WAS TO FL210. I OVERSHOT ALT BY AT LEAST 1000 FT BEFORE CATCHING MISTAKE. PNF ALSO FAILED TO MONITOR INSTS. PNF ASKED FOR LOWER ALT AND WE WERE CLRED TO THE ALT AT WHICH WE ALREADY WERE. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS AND CTLR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: LACK OF PLANNING OR PRE-BRIEF ON PNF'S PART. PF DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND WAS DISTRACTED WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN SPD DURING DSCNT. IN THE FUTURE THIS CREW WILL PRE-BRIEF SIMULATED EMER. IN THIS CE525, PLT IN R SEAT SHOULD FLY REST OF LEG, AS THIS POS HAS FULL INSTRUMENTATION. PLT IN L SEAT WOULD THEN MONITOR INSTS AND DO COMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.